Two Hearts
by Lythriine
Summary: As the time comes to wish on the Shikon Jewel, who will Inuyasha choose?With a Surprise twist of events


Two Hearts

By Lythriine

Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Mumbles under breath Damn Lawyers, always got to go and ruin my dreams.

Summary:

As the group has finally collected all of the jewel shards, Inuyasha is forced to choose between Kikyou and Kagome. Will he choose the woman he promised to protect forever, or will he choose the woman who loved him for who he was? (Inu/Kag, Inu/Kik, maybe Mir/San)

Rated:

M for swearing, and later lemons.

A/U: This story takes place AFTER the second movie "The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass." I make several references to the movie, and there might be a few spoilers, so please if you have not seen it and don't want to ruin it then please do not read this story, if you haven't seen it, but don't mind then please continue on.

Chapter 1 – Summer Confrontation

Enjoy!

It was summer in the feudal era. The sun beat down on the land mercilessly, and not a cloud in the sky was there to offer brief moments of relief. What little water had been in the area was long gone, only cracked dirt remained.

At the Village of Edo, many villagers chose to get their work done early in the morning, and stay indoors. Even children had abandoned their games to retreat indoors. However, this heat did not stop one villager from being outside.

Kaede was out in the fields gathering herbs. Her whicker basket, a gift from Kagome, was nearing it's full capacity. Kaede wiped a few drops of sweat away with her sleeve. It was her fifty-eighth summer and she had grown accustomed to the heat. Gathering her last handful of plants, she head towards her hut. It was Midday, and time to eat.

By the time she had returned to her hut, she had found it to be occupied. Assuming someone was injured, she hurried in, but she wasn't greeted with injuries, but with smiles from friends.

"Hello Kaede," Kagome said in her cheery voice.

"What a pleasant surprise to see you all," Kaede replied.

"We came bearing good news you old hag," came Inuyasha's usual grumpy voice.

"We defeated Naraku," Miroku told, raising his right hand to show that his Wind Tunnel had been removed.

"And we collected the last of the shards as well, though, we haven't combined them all yet," Sango added. Kirara mewed her agreement.

"Well that's wonderful news," Kaede said. 'So it's finally over,' the old miko thought to herself.

"If you don't mind Kaede, I'd like to go bathe. We haven't had a chance to relax much in the last few days," Kagome said standing up. She searched around in her bag for a few supplies and then turned to leave.

Heading off into the forest, towards the hot springs, she looked around. She saw the Old Tree were she had first met Inuyasha. Walking over to it she ran her hand along it.

"So this is where it all started two years ago," she spoke, think aloud. After all these years, she still could hardly believe all of this was real. Snapping back to reality, she continued on to the hot springs.

Arriving moments later Kagome stripped. Placing the clothes beside the edge she slowly dipped her body into the soothing water. Although it was summer, she still found the heat of the springs relaxing. She closed her eyes, feeling her sore and tired muscles relax. She cleared her mind, as if meditating, and listened to the sounds of the forest.

Not long, after she felt herself almost drifting off, she could feel herself being watched. Thinking it was Miroku she ducked under water, until it reached her chin, "Miroku if that's you, you'd better hope you get a head start." But she heard nothing. No moving foot steps, no songs of the birds, it was as if the air around her was dead.

"Foolish child, you think that a monk could cause such silence." A cold voice, that was all too familiar, came from behind Kagome. She turned around.

Kikyou.

Instinctively, Kagome tried to cover herself with her arms. "What do you want Kikyou!" Kagome demanded.

A soul collector snaked it's way around the undead miko. Watching it sent chills down Kagome's spine.

"Kagome, my pitiful reincarnation. You have feelings for him, don't you?" Kikyou questioned, glaring at Kagome.

A deep blush turned Kagome's cheeks crimson. "W-what if I do?" she stammered. Something about Kikyou's voice made her nervous.

"How do you think he's going to feel about you when he finds out that you killed me?" The priestess taunted.

"What do you mean kill you?"

"Are you really that foolish? Once you have placed all the shards together, your soul will recall it's missing half, thus killing me," Kikyou explained.

"He won't care! He doesn't have feelings for you anymore!" Kagome shouted, but even it sounded doubtful. She thought back to the moment in Kaguya's Castle, when she had kissed Inuyasha, to keep him from losing his human half.

"You say he won't care, and yet you don't quite believe it. You're pathetic. At least once the jewel is whole again and the wish made, your precious well will be sealed forever, leaving you trapped in your time where you belong." Kikyou laughed to herself.

"Shut up!" Kagome screamed. Closing her eyes she thrust her hand towards Kikyou. A blast of purple light shot from her hand, sending the undead priestess flying into the forest, out of view.

Kagome quickly gathered up her clothes and got dressed. Grabbing her utensils, she raced back to the village.

'The well will be sealed forever," she thought, recalling what Kikyou had said. Tears had begun to fall down her cheeks. How could she choose where to stay. Leave home and lose her mother, grandpa, and Souta, or go back home and lose all her friends here.

By the time she returned to the village she run out of breath, not just from running, but from crying as well. She finally slowed down as she neared Kaede's hut. She forced herself to stop crying. If she got any closer, and Inuyasha picked up the scent of tears, she was sure he'd come running. She waited a few minutes so that her face could return to normal coloring.

Taking a few last breaths she continued to the hut. The sun had almost completely gone down by the time she had returned.

"What kept you so long, I was about to send Sango after you," Inuyasha questioned.

Startled by his voice she looked up. He was sitting on top of the roof, his arms crossed into his sleeves. The usual scowl was printed on his face. Ever since Miroku had teased him for kissing Kagome, Inuyasha had never showed Kagome much more emotion then he would anyone else.

"I fell asleep in the hot spring," she lied. "You really should try it Inuyasha, it might help you relax and be more friendly."

"Feh."

"Why can't you ever be nice to me Inuyasha?" she asked.

"Feh."

Knowing she had been dismissed, she walked into the hut. She looked into the poorly lit single room, only to find Kaede there.

"Where is everyone Kaede?" Kagome asked, taking a seat on the floor next to the old priestess.

"Sango went to look for some demon bones to repair her Hiraikotsu, Miroku is over by the waterfall meditating, and Shippou is asleep."

"Since everyone is out, do you think I could talk to you?" Kagome asked.

"Aye. What is on ye mind child?"

"When I was at the springs, I got a visit from Kikyou."

"I found out some things, from Kikyou, that I defiantly did not know," Kagome started, her voice a little shaky.

"Aye child, continue."

Kagome took a deep breath. She was on the verge of crying. "Well first off when I make the jewel whole, so that the wish can be made, it's going to recall the part of my soul that Kikyou possess, thus ending her life." Kagome had to pause and wipe her face. "I know how much he cares about Kikyou, I mean he promised to protect her forever, so what's going to happen when he finds out that I killed his first love?" The tears were coming down faster and she frequently had to pause to breathe.

The old miko had moved from her spot across from the younger miko, to now sitting beside her. Kaede offered Kagome a cloth handkerchief. Kagome accepted this gift and wiped her face. After a few moments, that she used to compose herself, Kagome continued on with her story.

"Also when Inuyasha makes his wish on the jewel, I will be transported back to my era, and the well will be sealed for ever," Kagome said in a low tone of voice. "I love him Kaede, I just don't have the courage to get my heart broken by him. I know he still loves Kikyou, and it pains me to see him with her.

"Child, ye'd be surprised to find out how much he has changed since ye've been with him. Before you, before Kikyou died, she was the first human, besides his mother, that he ever let close. Even then he still didn't completely trust her. After she pinned him to the tree, he felt hatred towards her, but on the inside he still remembered how kind she had been to him. Since ye've been here, he seems to almost look at the world in a different perspective, he actually gives humans a chance."

"I know, but I don't know how I'm going to be able to continue to live in my era, knowing that I'd never again see him or my friends I have here. The only thing I'd have is memories, but even those fade away," Kagome had tears coming down her cheeks again.

"Ye've got a smart head, and a good heart, you'll know what to do," the old woman advised.

"How will I ever be able to do it Kaede? Kill Kikyou, then be forced back into my own era and never again see anyone." Kagome's sentence was more or less a thought spoken aloud. Kaede stood up and headed out of the hut, "This is something you need to discuss with Inuyasha," and with that the old miko was gone.

Kagome hugged her knees to her chest and sat alone in the dark. "Inuyasha how am I ever going to tell you what's going on?" Kagome said, as if he was right there beside her. "I know you still love her, and I'm just your jewel detector, but I know I didn't imagine it, back in Kaguya's castle, you kissed me back. Yet you always break my heart in the end. I know I should hate you, yet I can't. Instead I fell in love with you."

After about on hour of sitting in the dark, Kagome emerged from the hut. Sango had not yet returned, and neither had Miroku. Shippou had already awaken, and she had heard him mention something about going to play with Kirara to Kaede. Kagome turned around to look up on the roof, to see if Inuyasha was still there. She found only empty air. He was already gone.

Kagome walked around aimlessly in the village, a glazed look covered her eyes. The sparkle had disappeared when she found out about the jewel. How was she going to tell Inuyasha? She couldn't bare the thought of being rejected. 'Maybe I'll just pretend nothing is wrong, and keep smiling like I always do when he hurts me,' she thought.

"What's wrong with you wench?" Came the hanyou's stubborn voice.

Kagome was quickly snapped back to reality with a startle. She quickly pasted a fake smile on her voice. "Oh, nothing," she lied.

"Why do I smell the hint of salt on you? Were you crying?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Since when do you care?" It came out more harshly then she had intended, but what was the point.

"I've always cared, now spill it," Inuyasha was starting to get frustrated. 'What's this girl's problem? Of course I care,' he thought to himself.

"No! You're going to hate me if I tell you what's wrong." Kagome took off towards the well.

Inuyasha stood dumbfounded. Shaking it off her chased after her, easily catching the human. He grabbed her wrist and turned her to face him, the anger that had been in his eyes was replaced with worry. "Damn it Kagome! What's wrong!" he demanded.

A/U: Ahh. Gotta love those cliff hangers. I know I do. Anyway this is my first fanfic that I have posted, so there might be a few kinks to work out. Please be gentle, I am very fragile. Please review, I worked hard on this and constructive criticism is always wanted and compliments r0xorz my b0xorz.


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